Multiple wrench



A. A. KALO MULTIPLE WRENCH Dec. 16, 1930.

Filed July 3l, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. A. KALO MULTIPLE WRENCH Dec. 1.6, 1930.

Filed July 5l, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITEDA` ,STA-Tas 'PATENT OFFICE CANTON, OHIO v l MULTIPLE 'WRENCH "Application led .Tuly 31, 1929. SeralrQNo. 382,403.

This invention relatesfto an improved multiple vwrench particularly applicable for tightening or loosening nuts or bolts which connect the flanges of couplings of adjoining pipe sections, but may also by making a slight alteration therein be employed in other tiel-ds as, for instance,A upon railways, bridges or machinery 'wherein series of nuts and bolts may be screwed upor unscrewed simultaneously.` yf

As lstated above, the wrenchis particularly adaptable foruse in connection with tightening nuts on bolts on flanges of pipe ,connec tions of the' typeemployed in pipe lines for conveying gas and oil, or other fluids, and wherein thel oints between the coupling 'sections must be tightened evenly in'order that the `joints therebetween will be'fluid tight.`

In this instance, by meansof this wrench all the nuts on the bolts arranged around the flanges maybe simultaneously turned .drawing the coupling section towards each other'in an even mannerthus facilitating the connect# ing of lpipes and also effecting economy of time and labor, inasmuch as one man using the improved wrench will beenabled to do the work of several men with vordinary wrenches now in use. 1

i The invention consists inl mounting a series of socket wrenches for rotation within a suitable frame'structure, which isdetachably connected to a pipe adjacent the coupling `carried thereby and which wrenches have attached thereto a series of pawls and ratchets, to which are fixed the operating mechanism7 whereby all the number of wrenches may be used simultaneously.

The invention further consistsin connecting in the operating mechansim for the wrenches, power means consisting of a worm and worm gear or a train of reduction gears by which adequate vleverage of the wrenches is secured. v

For a further understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following `descriptiontaken in lconnection with the accompanying drawings,fgwherein: l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of adjoining pipe sections showing Sthe improved wrench in itsapplied position thereto,

F igure 2 is a transverse Vertical sectional View takenon the line 2-,2 ofFigure l,

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on 'the line 3 3 of Figure 1f,

Figure4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3,

Figure vis a det-ail sectional view taken on the lin-e 5-.5 of Figure 4, Y

Figure 6 is a detail sectional `view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken through the ratchet and pawl mechanism of one of the wrenches as indicated bythe line 7 7 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates generally my improved wrench in its entirety. The wrench comprises la pair of substantially semi-circular frame sections 2v and 3 hingedly connected to veach other, asiat 4, soy that the frame sections 2 `and 3 may be swung to an open position permitting of the placing of the framesections around: the circular wall of one ofthe conduit sections 5. The frame structure of the apparatus is arranged adjacent 'the coupling 6 connecting .the ends of the conduit sectionV 5 and is `provided with circumferentially spaced bearings 7 disposed in axial registration with they bolts 8 connecting the Hanges 9 of the coupling 6.

Journaled for rotation within the bearings 7 are the reduced endsv10 of socketwrenches 11 which have their out'er ends formed with sockets 12 to conform with the nuts 13 ofthe'bolts 8. The sockets 12 are of such depth as to accommodate the ends of the bolts 8 as the bolts are Vbeing tightened. Also formed with the reduced ends ofthe socket-wrenches 11 are hand holds 14 by which the socket-wrenches may be rotated axially for properly aligning the same with the bolts 8y of` the coupling. -Rotatably -mountedon the wrenches 11 are sleeves 15 `anism is of the reversible type so that the nuts may be 'unscrewed from the bolt as well 'as screwed thereon.

,. ALBERT A. KALO, OF kCOLTQTIVIIBCI'S,OHIO, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-.HALF TO C. A. HANNER, OF l To hold the socket-wrenches 11 in place upon the nuts 13 of the bolts 8, the frame sections 2 and 3 have hingedly connected thereto spring pressed latch bolts 18 having fingers 18 engaging the inner peripheral flange edge of one of the coupling sections. Thus it will be seen that as the nuts on the bolts are tightened they tend to move away from the frame structure and the latter also moves longitudinally of the conduit and maintains the proper connection between the socket-wrenches 1l and the nuts 13 of the bolts 8.

Formed with the sleeves l5 are gear segments 19 which intermesh with the teeth of the circular 'rack bar 20 mounted for reciprocatory action within a groove 2l formed in the frame. sections 2 and 3 of the apparatus. The rack bar 2O is formed in two sections hinged together at a point in alignment with the pivotal aXis of the frame sections 2 and 3 and when so aligned, the rack bar and the frame sections may thus be turned unitarily on their pivots for their removal from the associated conduits. Positioned within the grooves 21 and located opposite the wrenches ll'are roller elements 23 which engage with the outer periphery of the rack bar 20 and which serve to prevent undue friction between the rack bar 20 and the frame structure.

In order to effect a reciprocatory action of the gear rack 20, there is provided a link or pitman 24 having one end pivotally connected to the rack bar, as at 25, and the other end journaled' on a crank pin 26 carried by a worm gear 27 mounted for rotation upon the bracket extension 28 formed integral with the section 2 of the frame structure. Connected with the crank pin 26 is a handle 28 by which the gear wheel 27 may be quickly rotated while the nuts are loose and free to rotate upon the bolts. However, when more power is needed to draw the nuts taut, the worm 30 may be brought into operative relation with the worm gear 27 and by its rotation through the medium of operating handles 3l, the operator may thus without much effort effect the rot-al tion of the socket-wrenches with the result of drawing the coupling sections together to close the joints between the meeting c'onduit sections.

The ends of the shaft 32 andthe worm 30 have their bearings within a swinging vyoke 33 pivoted to a pair of upstanding ears 34 integrally formed with the bracket extension 28. Formed with each of the ears 34 is a pair of upper and lower seats 35' and 36 for the reception of the ends of the worm shaft 32. The upper portion ofthe yoke 33 is formed with aY hande 37 for effecting the rocking action of the yoke 33 for the positioning of the endsV of the shaft 32 within either of the seats 35 or 36, To hold the worm in its lowermost position in engagement with the worm gear 27 there is provided a locking element which consists of a spring pressed plunger 38 which is received within registering openings formed in the ears 34 and the yoke 33.

The operation of the apparatus is briefly set forth as follows: After the nuts have been started by hand and put on the bolts connecting the coupling sections of the conduits. the apparatus is positioned on the conduit by swinging t-he frame sections 2 and 3 to an open position. The apparatus which is most convenienty handled by two men, one on each side thereof, is then slid'longitudinally of the conduit toward the pipe coupling and positioned so that the socket wrenches will align with thc bolts of the coupling. The latch bolts carried by the frame sections are then swung on their pivots so that the fingers thereof will engage with the rear of the coupling fianges thus holding the frame structure in a rigid position for its operation. The ratchet may now be rotated to draw the nuts up while still loose on the bolts by rotating the gear 27 which results in a reciprocatory action of the gear rack 20. Before this operation the worm will, of course, be out of engagement with the worm wheel and positioned in the upper pair of the seats 35. After the nuts have been somewhat tightened, the worm is then swung to its lowermost position into engagement with the worm wheel and rotated to draw the nuts into firmengagement with the coupling flanges. After all the bolts or nuts are screwed tight, the worm may again be raised from out of engagement with the worm gear by swinging the yoke frame on its pivot so that the worm is positioned in the upper pair of the seats 35. After the worm gear has thus been disengaged from its engagement with the worm 30 the same lnay be turned to va position aligning the pivots of the frame sections 2 and 3 and the pivot of the rack bar 20. The frame sections may now be slid from out of engagement with the nuts of the coupling bolts and swung to an open position disconnecting the same from the conduit sections', when it is ready for its next operation.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be noted that by the provision of the apparatus shown and described a simple and efficient means is afforded whereby a plurality of nuts may be tightened or loosened upon a pipe coupling by a simple manipulation of the rotating movement of the crank lever.

twill be understood that while I have particularlydescribed the use of this wrench on thel bolts uniting the flanges of a pipe coupling," its use is not limited thereto,` but may with vsome alterations thereinbe' used in other fields of employment. The details of construction and the proportion of the parts may all be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention as yset forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is: y y

1. A multiple wrench comprising a pair of relatively movable supporting sections formed to be positioned around a pipe adjacent to a pipe coupling, a plurality of axially rotatable socket devices mounted for turning movement in said supporting sections, the ends of said devicesk being formed with open'nut receiving sockets for the reception of the nuts of said coupling, primary means carried in connection with said supporting sections for effecting relatively rapid rotation of said socket devices during the initial tightening of the coupling nuts, and secondary operating means forrelatively slow turning movement of said socket devices to produce a powerful tightening rotation of the coupling nuts.

, 2. In a multiple wrench, a pair of'relatively movable supporting sections arcuately shaped to conform with the circular wall of a pipe, said supporting sections being adapt ed to be positioned around a. pipe adjacent to a pipe coupling, a plurality of axially rotatable socket devices mounted for turning movement in said supporting sections, the ends of said devices being formedwith open nut receiving sockets for the reception of the nuts of said coupling, means for connecting all of said socket devices for simultaneous movement, and means for eecting the movement of the irst named means carried by one of said supporting sections.

3. In a multiple wrench, a pairof arcuately shaped frame sections hingedly connected to each other and adapted to be positioned around a pipe adjacent to a pipe coupling, a plurality of axially rotatable socket devices mounted for turning movement in Vsaid frame sections, the ends of Y said devices y being formed with open nut receiving sockets for the reception of the nuts of said'coupling,

gear and rack'means connecting all of said devices for simultaneous movement thereof, pawl and ratcliet'means between said socket devices and said gear and rack means, and additional means carried by one of said frame sections for effecting a reciprocatory motion of said rack and gear means. n 4. In a multiple wrench, a pair of arcuately shaped frame sections hingedly connected to each other and adapted to'be positioned around a pipe :adjacent to a pipe coupling, means for connecting said frame sections to said pipe coupling, a plurality of axially rotatable pawl and ratchet Vdevices mounted for turning movement in saidframe section, the ends of said devices being formed with open nut receiving sockets for the reception of the nutsof said coupling, meansrconnecting all of said devices for efecting recipro- Y catory action of said pawl and ratchet means simultaneously, and additional means connecting said last named means for effecting a relatively slow turning movement of said devices to produce a powerful tightening ro` tation of the coupling nuts. j

5. A multiple wrench comprising a pair of relatively movable supporting, sections formed to be positioned around a pipe ad jacent to a Vpipe coupling, a plurality of axially rotatable socket devices mounted for turning movement in said supporting sections, the ends of said devices being formed with open nut receiving sockets for the reception of the nuts of said coupling, a rotatable ratchet means between said sleeves Vand said socket devices, gear segments formed with said sleeves, a gear` rack mounted for reciprocatory action within said supporting sections, and serving to connect all of said de- Vsleeve on Veach of Ysaid devices, pawl and vices, a gear wheel mounted for rotation upon one of said frame sections and having a crank connection attached to said gear rack, and meansl for rotating said gear wheel. v

v 6. A multiple wrench comprising a pair of relatively movable supporting sections being formed with open nut receiving sockets for the reception of the nuts of said coupling, pawl and ratchet means on said devices, and means connecting the pawl and ratchet means of said devicesl for simultaneous re-V ciprocatory action thereof. f y

7. A multiple wrench comprisinga pair of arcuate supporting sections hinged to-- gether and adapted to be positioned around a pipe adjacent to a pipe coupling, a plurality of axially rotatable socket devices lic Y mounted for turning movement in said suporting sections, the ends of said devices eing Yformed with open nut receiving sockets j for the reception of the nuts of said coupling,

pawl and ratchet means on said devices, gear segments on said'devices, a circularly shaped gear` rack having teeth engaging the teeth of said `gear segments, said gear rack being mounted for reciproca-tory action within saidv supporting sections, a worm gear mounted for rotationY in connection "with one of said supporting sections, a crank arm connection between said worm gear and said gear rack, a worin for turning said worm gear, and a ivotal bearing in connection with said worm y`V which the latter may be brought in and out of engagement with said worm gear. l In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

ALBERT A. KALo.V

il) i 

